Hundreds of women on Tuesday took to the streets of Ugbokpo, the administrative headquarters of Apa Local Government Area in Benue State, to protest ongoing attacks and killings plaguing their communities.
The demonstrators, many of whom have lost husbands, children, and relatives in recent attacks, expressed their pain and frustration over what they described as targeted violence that has left them widowed and their children orphaned.
Communities including Ijaha Ikobi, Edikwu-Ankpali, and Odugbo have suffered repeated assaults, with at least 25 people reportedly killed in the area just last Sunday.
Organised under the banner of Voice of the Hopeless Women, the protesters carried placards bearing messages such as, “Stop killing our men,” “We are now widows, not by choice,” and “Enough is enough.” The women also submitted a letter during the protest, outlining their grievances and appealing for urgent government intervention.
The letter stated in part, “We have been triggered by their entrance into our farms, homes, and rooms to kill and destroy our children, husbands, and dear loved ones, including fellow women. Today, our children can hardly go to school, our lives are in danger, and our future is in shambles.”
Speaking during the demonstration, Ada Ocholi, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in the local government and a legal practitioner, described the protest as “peaceful and timely, given the plight of innocent residents in the hands of suspected armed herders.”
Despite the public outcry, the Chairman of Apa Local Government, Adams Ocheiga, declined to comment on the situation when contacted. “Sorry, I’m not in the mood to talk to journalists now. Besides, I’m not in Apa at the moment, so I cannot confirm if there is any protest going on,” he said.
The women have called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene and end the bloodshed in their communities before the situation worsens further.
